One Detroit contributors speak with some of the conference’s future-focused leaders who aim to grow the state and region’s population and make it an attractive destination for talent and business.
Watch this special edition of One Detroit available on demand at OneDetroitPBS.org and One Detroit’s YouTube
Michigan’s lagging population growth has stymied the state’s economic growth and threatens its long-term prosperity. Over the last 20 years, Michigan has decoupled from national population growth, creating a gap that could be challenging to close in the next 20 years. Among other consequences, our population decline shows Michigan losing ground to other states in income, job creation and educational achievements.
This wake-up call spurred new efforts to identify solutions and reverse the situation. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer established the bipartisan Growing Michigan Together Council, a coalition that took a look at the state’s underlying issues in an attempt to understand the past and propose solutions for a more equitable and prosperous future when it comes to improving educational outcomes, attracting and retaining talent, and improving infrastructure.
Last week, the Detroit Regional Chamber hosted its annual Detroit Policy Conference, to explore initiatives and policy prescriptions needed to grow the state and region’s population and make it an attractive destination for talent and business development.
The conference brought together hundreds of business and policy leaders who probed what the future holds for downtown Detroit, addressing topics such as driving community impact, improving preK-12 educational outcomes, understanding how to retain talent, building a strong workforce for the future, creating vibrant communities for sustainable growth, the 2024 NFL draft and more.
One Detroit contributors Stephen Henderson, Nolan Finley and Zoe Clark were on location at the conference, interviewing key figures as part of its ongoing Future of Work coverage of the issues that not only affect the future of the city of Detroit but also the region.
In case you missed it, watch One Detroit’s recent episode – Finley sits down with John Rakolta, Jr., former U.S. Ambassador, current chairman of Walbridge and co-chairman of the Growing Michigan Together Council, to talk about where Michigan stands when it comes to growing the state’s population and the importance of focusing on increasing Michigan’s prosperity and productivity.
Henderson then speaks with President and CEO of The Skillman Foundation Angelique Power about the state’s investment in education and how that relates to growing Michigan’s population. A participant in the Pre-K-12 Education workgroup of the Growing Michigan Together Council, Power says public education in Michigan has long been underfunded and an upgraded system is overdue. She and Henderson also discuss what’s needed to improve education moving forward, including a more cohesive vision for education in the state.
Lastly, Clark interviews Integral CEO, Ashok Sivanand, about what drew him to not only work in the city but also make Detroit his home after he moved from Toronto to start his digital transformation business.
Sivanand shares the sense of community he found in Detroit and the many opportunities for growth that being part of the community offers.
DPTV’s Future of Work initiative provides ongoing coverage and analysis of the changing employment landscape, what lies ahead for Michigan’s workforce and what the state can do to prepare for the challenges ahead.
More Future of Work coverage can be found at OneDetroitPBS.org
